It’s day 2 at PAX West 2024 and the MonsterVine crew is on the market pushing by way of the crowds and leg ache to play all probably the most attention-grabbing video games we are able to discover.
RetroRealms: Halloween and Ash vs Evil Lifeless
I’m an enormous sucker for horror generally, and I’ve been actually hoping for somebody to do one thing with licensed characters that’s not a 4v1 multiplayer recreation; enter, RetroRealms: Halloween and Ash vs Evil Lifeless. A 2D beat ’em up, these are two separate video games (Halloween and Ash vs Evil Lifeless) which might be housed inside a single hub recreation, RetroRealms. You begin the sport up in a 3D arcade atmosphere, and you may stroll as much as both arcade machine besides up one of many two horror video games. Each video games have their very own particular person marketing campaign, however each share a central gimmick of with the ability to hop right into a “nightmare realm” the place you’ll clear up puzzles or bounce over for the enjoyable of preventing harder enemies. Being a correct arcade, you’ll earn tickets you need to use to unlock film memorabilia you can view, and there’s even a video room the place you possibly can pop VHS tapes in to see developer interviews. The nifty factor about all this nonetheless, is you can carry characters from one recreation into the opposite, and I used to be advised the purpose is to broaden the arcade with extra video games from different horror icons and have all of them in a position to crossover with one another. It was all a whole lot of enjoyable and you may inform from all of the little particulars that this was being made by huge horror followers. Fortunately you don’t have to attend too lengthy to get your fingers on this, because it releases this October. Click on right here to learn our full hands-on with the sport.
Homura Hime
My time with Homura Hime was transient, however memorable, with my demo having a easy tutorial earlier than tossing me straight right into a boss battle. The sport introduces us to our protagonist, Homura Hime, who’s probably the most highly effective exorcist on the planet to search out 5 demons which might be operating amuck on the planet. I used to be instantly shocked by the sport’s attractive artwork fashion, virtually distractingly so, as these impressively executed results littered my display throughout my battle with the demo’s boss. Half trendy motion recreation, half bullet hell, my single occasion of fight was with an imposing skeletal creature that basically put me by way of my paces, even with my expertise with the style. A bit into the combat I began getting flashbacks to my time taking part in Furi, because the boss started firing patterns of vitality balls that I then needed to dodge all whereas coping with the boss who was nonetheless actively attacking me. It became an exhilarating trade of protection and offense as I bounced between the 2 each time I had an opportunity till I used to be lastly in a position to finest the creature. I solely want I had gotten to see extra of the sport in addition to this one boss combat, as I’m all too keen to totally dive into it when it releases subsequent 12 months.
Nitro Categorical
Hear, you give me a 2D motion recreation with 360° taking pictures motion and my butt is in that seat. In a near-future society, drones have turn out to be a part of our regular lives however when their programming causes them to go rogue and hurt civilians, the Atypical Automobile Disposal Squad is shipped in to eliminate them. Enjoying as one in every of these officers, my demo tossed me right into a mission the place a swarm of rogue machines had been wreaking havoc on town, and after a fast cease within the armory to customise my loadout, I went to scrapping some metallic. I instantly received Steel Slug vibes, helped partly by Nitro Categorical’ gorgeously rendered pixel artwork, however extra as if Steel Slug’s pace was cranked to eleven. Robots are flying at you quick and also you’ve received to maneuver rapidly to not get hit, which sadly from my demo was a bit harder as a result of framerate stuttering fairly a bit; the sport isn’t due until subsequent 12 months nonetheless so I’m hoping it’ll be touched up by then. However when the sport was hitting, it actually was a blast to shoot aside robots and the transient story segments between missions had been humorously cute as you and your associate bantered with one another. There’s no onerous launch date on it but however you’ll have the ability to dive into the sport someday subsequent 12 months.
Mighty Morphin’ Energy Rangers: Rita’s Rewind
I’m an enormous sucker for a great beat ‘em up, extra so for those who inform me the goddamn Energy Rangers are concerned with it. Mighty Morphin’ Energy Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is the dream Energy Rangers recreation I’ve been praying for years for (in addition to a Musou recreation) and my (sadly) brief demo had me hungry to play extra. We had been in a position to get a full workforce of 4 throughout our time (we had been advised you will get 5 whole for a full ranger workforce) and we simply went to city beating up on putties earlier than finally ending our demo dealing with off with Goldar. The sport is rendered on this attractive pixel artwork, with an acceptable scanline filter utilized to the entire thing, that each one simply completely captures the vitality of that authentic present. I’ve a whole lot of gripes with video games on this style that refuse to modernize, and fortunately Rita’s Rewind helps push the style ahead by giving it some snappy as hell fight and simply sufficient style forwardness to not have it really feel like a clunky throwback. Our demo sadly ended proper earlier than we may attempt the Megazord gameplay, however fortunately we received’t have to attend too lengthy with it releasing someday this 12 months. Click on right here to learn our full hands-on with the sport.
Olliefrog Toad Skater
I’m a sucker for Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater, and likewise cute frogs; mix the 2 and also you’ve received me hooked. Olliefrog Toad Skater is precisely what it appears, an arcade-inspired skateboarding recreation the place you and your mates can play as cute frogs that you simply’re in a position to costume up in costumes. Whereas there’s a profession mode, I solely received to play within the free-play and the sport was satisfyingly snappy, as I rapidly was in a position to get my little dude to be hitting 900s and nailing grinds. Altogether, it was a extremely cute demo, and might’t wait to see extra of it.
Mr. Sleepy Man
This proper right here man, that is my type of shit. I took one look at this sales space and needed to park my ass right down to play it and I’m glad I did as a result of Mr. Sleepy Man would possibly genuinely be my favourite factor from the present. The gist is easy, you play as a sleepy little dude who’s up well beyond his bedtime and results in Bedtime City with the one purpose of being an absolute nuisance. My demo popped me out on a portion of the city, and being a 3D platformer the place interactivity and discovery are key, I used to be inspired to poke my head in all places I may and seize something I wished. I instantly began making myself as a lot of a nuisance as doable, as I stole donuts from cops or annoyingly smacked folks round. I used to be finally tossed into jail for being a ache to the city residents, which is the place my demo prematurely ended, however I had a blast the whole time laughing at each little hidden joke I may discover. I used to be additionally in a position to play a type of interactive music video stage, that was simply delightfully absurd in one of the best ways doable. Sadly, whereas there was no strong launch date, I used to be advised 2025 may be very seemingly which is nice as a result of I genuinely can’t wait to play extra of this foolish recreation.
Unhealthy Cheese
I walked by this sales space a few occasions throughout the present. It’s a legally distinct Steamboat Willie knockoff that was daring me to come back to play it, so play it I did. What I received was a royalty-free fever dream as I performed as not-Steamboat Willie, and needed to discover a decrepit mansion to search out drugs for “daddy” who was this horrifying, The Factor-inspired blob of flesh that was a combination of Goofy and Pluto. It was all very humorous, and solely barely uncomfortable because the not-Goofy/Pluto whispered in my ear to get “daddy’s drugs”. I want I may give a launch date, or actually every other data however there’s completely no proof of this recreation current on the web and I’m starting to marvel if I simply had a fever dream about this recreation.